Laughing, he lowers the knife and leans over to push the plant out of the way, but his hand just stops. It’s like he’s hitting an invisible wall and a force field is protecting the plant. Even when he tries to use the knife instead, the knife diverts away. He can’t touch it.
Exhaling a breath of relief, I start to skirt past him, but he yanks my arm and shoves me against the island, his fingers digging into my skin painfully. “It must be the plant. Remove it.”
I lift my chin high. “You killed an innocent old man just to get that book. I’ll never give it to you.”
He snarls and sets the knife back against my throat. “Now, Nara!”
I try not to think about the stinging pain and shake my head as I grip his wrist, squeezing tight. David hisses, then slits his eyes and flexes his wrist, the blade applying pressure to my neck once more. “That book can elevate me much higher in Lucifer’s domain. He might even allow me entrance into Under as one of his demons in payment for bringing it to him.”
When a trickle of warm blood slides down my chest, my stomach roils with nausea. “You can’t have it,” I say, cinching my fingers like a vise around his arm.
An eerie growl rumbles from deep in his chest. “I have no issue slitting your throat and leaving you to die choking on your own blood if you don’t hand it over—”
David’s focus narrows on my hand on his wrist. Hatred flares in his eyes right before a foul smell quickly fills my nostrils.
As I fight the need to gag and wonder if the horrible odor is his demon stench, he dips his head and the blade against my neck slackens while he takes several deep breaths. At the same time I realize David’s fighting the demon inside him, my brain identifies the awful smell: burning flesh. The raven yin-yang symbol on my ring meant to protect me from demon possession (of the Furia or Inferi variety) must be pressing against his wrist.
A rumble of rage erupts from the Furia right before his attention swings back to mine, full of cruel and lethal intent. While the knife twitches torturously against my neck, I flatten my free hand on David’s chest and stare into his eyes. “Fight him, David!”
My palm begins to tingle with heat, and then the demon thrashes his head back and forth, shrieking like excruciating pain is flooding through him.
Horror briefly tears across Mr. Dixon’s face, and the sight makes me think of Drystan. The terror he must’ve felt being trapped inside, a puppet to evil’s every whim.
That the demon dared to mention my mother’s name spikes my protective nature. Rage flares like a rumbling volcano, traveling from my belly up my chest, and then past the lump in my throat. I’m so outraged, I’m able to distance my mind from the pain the knife’s inflicting. Spreading my fingers on his chest, I dig into his flesh and grit out with every ounce of will I’ve got, “Get out of him now!”
A flash of glaring white light shoots out of several points from David’s body at the same time my expanding chest and burning lungs suddenly collapse inward in a painful exhalation. I gasp for air as my arms and legs turn to jelly, and my whole body starts to tremor. The second the light fades, David and I both stumble back, and the knife in his hand clatters to the floor.
I take a deep, shuddering breath, then exhale my relief. I’m so drained and shaken by whatever-the-heck just happened, I have to grab the edge of the counter to keep from collapsing. Cool air hitting the blood on my neck brings both chill bumps and sharp pain, reminding me I’m hurt. I quickly grab a dishtowel to staunch my wound, while my teacher slowly shakes his head, blinking his way back to consciousness.
“Nara?” He glances around, completely confused. “When did I get here?” Wincing, he rubs his forehead. “Why is my head pounding?”
I somehow tuned out Houdini while the demon and I battled wills and my life was hanging in the balance, but now my dog’s ferocious growls are all I hear. David tenses at the sound, and he takes in the broken glass and knife on the floor. He swings his gaze back to me, and his eyes widen at the trickle of blood on my chest.
“God, are you okay?” He takes a step toward me, hand raised to help. Then he pauses, unsure what to do. “What happened?”
Before I can answer, the front door flies open. Houdini and Ethan rush in. Houdini’s fur is raised and his teeth are bared as he snarls and jerks his head around, looking for me. Ethan’s stance is deadly, his eyes as black as sin when they lock with mine.
The moment they both bolt for the kitchen, I quickly step in front of Mr. Dixon and call out, “Broken glass!” to Ethan, then address my dog, commanding, “Stay, Houdini.”
When Ethan grabs Houdini’s collar to keep him back, I nod my thanks and speak to him in a calm, but firm tone, “Mr. Dixon just had a blackout episode, but he’s okay now.”
“What?” Ethan’s staring at me like I’ve lost my mind. He directs my dog to sit, but Ethan’s stance remains battle-ready, his eyes darting suspiciously to Mr. Dixon behind me. “Let me talk to him, Nara.”
“He’s good, Ethan. Trust me.”
“I—I don’t even know what’s going on. Or how I got here.” Mr. Dixon blows out an unsteady breath, then gestures toward my neck. “Or why you’re bleeding, Nara. Please tell me I didn’t do that?”
“No.” I turn to him. “It was an accident. It happened when you blacked out. We’d just finished hiding Mom’s present in the garage and then came back into the kitchen when you started stumbling all over the place. It’s like you were sleep-walking or something. You grabbed a knife and kept saying there’s an intruder in our house.”
He pales, dread in his eyes. “So I did hurt you.”
I shake my head in fast jerks. “Not on purpose. I don’t blame you at all, David. When I raised my voice, you snapped out of it. Like you woke up. Don’t worry, I won’t tell Mom. But maybe you should go home and get some rest. You look exhausted.”
“I’ve never slept-walked in my life,” he murmurs in confusion, glancing down at the glass all over the floor. “I’ll stay and help you clean this up.”
He’s visibly shaking and his voice is hoarse. I can’t imagine what it must feel like to lose a period of time and then wake up to bloody chaos and mayhem all around you. I’d be freaked out too. “Ethan will help me. You should go home. Mom will be back soon. You don’t want to spoil the surprise for her. Don’t worry, David. Honestly, everything’s fine now.”
When Mr. Dixon mumbles more apologies and then starts to get upset all over again, I turn imploring eyes to Ethan and mouth, “Please help him.”
He sighs and steps forward to grip Mr. Dixon on the shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll feel better after you get some sleep. Maybe you blacked out because you aren’t getting enough rest.”
Ethan’s calming touch works, and David inhales and exhales slowly, nodding. “I slept eight hours last night, but for some strange reason I do feel extremely tired.”
Once Ethan walks Mr. Dixon out, I rush to the bathroom to grab the first-aid kit and see how much damage Drake’s demon did to my neck.
Staring in the mirror, I sigh with relief that the wound is only a couple inches long and doesn’t appear deep enough for stitches. An emergency room visit would be much harder to hide from my mom.
Houdini sits right outside the bathroom doorway and whines. I glance his way. “It’s okay, boy. I’m fine.”
Ethan enters the bathroom, his face unreadable. He reaches for the alcohol swab in my hand. “Let me do it.”
His voice is even, but his eyes are still mostly black and very little blue. He needs to calm down as much as I do. I release the swab and nod, tilting my chin up. The second the wet cotton hits my cut, I wince.
Ethan tenses, but doesn’t talk while he cleanses my wound and washes the blood off my chest. While he attaches a bandage to my neck, his voice is gruff. “You’re going to need to wear something to cover this up until it heals.”
“I know,” I say quietly.
Ethan cups the back of my neck, his thumb gently rubbing the side of my throat. “Was he looking for
the book?”
I nod.
His brows pull together in a deep frown.
“He almost got it too. I’d just returned from retrieving it and brought it in the house. Mr. Dixon called about Mom’s present and got here before I could hide it.” My lips quirk. “The mistletoe I’d set on top of it kept the demon from touching it.”
More blue takes over the black in Ethan’s eyes and he smiles. “Told you it had protective properties.” Sobering, he continues, “I’m glad you’re okay. Samson and I were on the other side of town when my body started to buzz with worry. I knew you were in trouble. I left my brother to finish his errand, so I can’t stay long. I need to go pick him up.”
Touching my chin, he tilts it until our eyes lock. “The crazed way Houdini was acting when I got here told me a demon was inside, but I didn’t smell anything once we came in.” His forehead creases in confusion. “Even if the demon had left David’s body, I usually still smell its trace in the air for a while, but this time I didn’t. How is that possible?”
My voice shakes as I tell Ethan everything that happened. When I finish, he grasps my shoulders gently, a look of wonder on his face. “You expelled a demon from Mr. Dixon with just your touch? That’s amazing.”
I purse my lips in a rueful half smile. “I have no idea if that’s what I did or even how I did it. I just really wanted that demon out of David.”
Ethan looks thoughtful. “Every demon I’ve expelled with my sword bursts out of the person’s body in a pale yellow mist. That’s been true whether it was an Inferi or a Furia. The fact that you saw a flash of light shoot out of him instead of yellow mist has to mean something else.”
“I have no idea what it means.” I run my teeth across my bottom lip, then stop when the slight flexing of my neck muscles pulls on my wound.
“Unless…” He tilts his head.
“Unless what?”
Stepping into the hallway, Ethan sniffs toward the kitchen. “I can’t smell even the smallest trace of the demon. It’s like it was never here.”
I follow him into the hall. “What are you thinking?”
“Are you sure you’re not an angel?”
I spread my hands wide. “I think that’s something Michael would’ve mentioned. Why?”
Ethan rubs his jaw. “If that was a Furia demon—”
“It was.”
“How do you know?”
“Drake’s soul took over David’s body,” I say.
Guilt scrolls across Ethan’s face. I know he’s thinking about the fact he’s the one who created the Furia inside David. Then hope brightens his eyes. “I wonder if…you just freed Drake’s soul from Lucifer’s influence.”
“You think his soul’s no longer Furia?” I nod, thinking it through. “That would explain me seeing something different leave his body, and it would also explain why you can’t smell anything. Both you and Houdini have always been able to in the past.”
He nods, smiling broadly. “There has definitely got to be some angel in you.”
I snort and shake my head. “I’m just glad Mr. Dixon’s okay. Do you think he bought the sleep-walking story?”
“What choice does he have? It’s either that or think he’s gone crazy. For his own peace of mind, I hope he does believe it.” Lifting his chin toward the front door, Ethan continues, “Once I leave, put the mistletoe up over all the entrances to your house. Hanging them in the doorways will add a layer of protection against demons. Unfortunately there isn’t a permanent way to safe-guard your house against them, but the mistletoe should last for a few days until it dries out.”
Houdini whimpering and pawing at his ear snags my attention. “What’s wrong, boy?” When he licks his paw, I notice the blood on it. “What happened?” I step close and squat to lift his paw so I can check for an injury.
“It’s his ear,” Ethan says, touching Houdini’s floppy right ear.
I glance up at the wound along the tip and frown. “It’s sliced open. Poor guy.”
Once I return from the bathroom with a clean alcohol swab for Houdini, Ethan’s face is stony, his tone laced with anger. “It looks like someone took a pair of scissors and snipped the edge of his ear.”
His vivid imagery makes my stomach twinge. “Can you hold his collar while I clean his wound? This is going to hurt.”
After I clean the wound and rig the bandage into a butterfly-type suture to hopefully help the cut heal back together, I stand and glance into the kitchen. “I’d better get that glass cleaned up before Mom gets home.”
As I turn to walk away, Ethan reaches for my hand. Threading our fingers together, he says, “I’m sorry about earlier in the car.” He swallows. “I just don’t know what to think about all this Corvus stuff.”
He won’t even use the term “Master Corvus.” I squeeze his hand. “I know. You haven’t mentioned the scariest part. The thought that you might have to fight Lucifer worries me more than anything.”
He shrugs. “That’s only if it’s true. I’m still in the ‘I don’t believe it’ camp.”
I wish it wasn’t true, but no amount of wishing or ignoring can change reality. “Stubborn,” I say, sighing heavily. “Go pick up your brother. Come by later and we’ll go over Freddie’s book.”
Ethan nods, then turns to retrieve my zip-up hoodie from the coatrack. He holds it up for me and I slide my arms into it.
Once I zip it all the way, he rests his hands lightly on my shoulders, his eyes flicking to the gauze on my neck the jacket had just covered up. “That was entirely too close, Nara. We have to figure out the truth behind the book quickly. If we can’t, we don’t have a choice. We’ll have to destroy it too.”
The thought of destroying any book yanks at my heart—anyone who loves to read would feel the same. But this particular book has been protected for so long, the idea of turning it to ash to protect its secrets twinges at my heart even more. “At least we don’t have to worry about Drake anymore,” I say in a light tone to keep from dwelling on it.
Ethan doesn’t even crack a smile. “You’re forgetting that Drystan’s demon is still out there.”
I haven’t forgotten, but I frown that he’s assigning Drystan’s name to that Inferi. It’s not like my friend chose to be possessed. If we have to give the demon a name, it should be the last person who welcomed its possession. “For whatever reason Harper’s Inferi is laying low for now.” Then I remember what Drake’s Furia said, and I put a hand on Ethan’s chest. “The demon told me that he let some Inferni know that you’re living here in Blue Ridge, Ethan. I got the impression he didn’t mention the book because he wanted that for himself. I’m assuming he wanted his revenge but knew he wasn’t strong enough to fight you. Please, please keep a watch out. I can’t imagine demons knowing that a Corvus is around and not going after you.”
Ethan tenses his jaw. “I’m always on alert.”
When he doesn’t make a move to leave and his fingers flex on my shoulders, applying pressure, I know he wishes he can stay to protect me. Leaning close, I kiss his jaw. “I’ll be fine. The mistletoe will go up as soon as you walk out. I have no more plans to go anywhere. Feel better?”
Nodding, he presses a warm kiss to my forehead, then closes the door behind him.
Chapter Five
Ethan
As I drive away from Nara’s house, the gravelly voice I hadn’t heard in a while rushes through my mind. You’re not worthy of her.
I narrow my gaze. I know who you are now, Corvus. Stop hiding behind that stupid horror film voice.
She might’ve just washed away your guilt in one fell swoop, but you’ll never be worthy.
The Corvus had switched his voice to a deep bass one, full of authority and judgment, but at least he didn’t sound like some haggard creeper any more. I ignore his attempt to rile me. How did she expel a demon with just her touch?
It takes him a full minute to answer. I don’t know.
I can’t believe even my Corvus doesn’t know. Worry ripp
les through me. You’ve never seen this before?
Another long pause. No. It just highlights the fact that you don’t deserve her.
You’re the one who made me go all silent on her this morning. Your volatile emotions over what Nara said about the Master Corvus could’ve gotten us killed if I hadn’t concentrated on keeping the car on the road.
Silence.
Sometimes I really hate the bastard living inside me. I grit my teeth, then take a breath to calm down. Why have you tortured me all this time? What was the purpose of trying to drive me crazy?
It wasn’t torture. You needed to toughen up. This body worked for me, but it needed to be stronger. You would either break or survive.
He wanted to break me? My fingers cinch on the steering wheel. I see red for several seconds, but I shake my head to keep my shit together. I need answers, and he’s finally talking. Survive? For what purpose? Are you the Master Corvus?
Don’t believe the bullshit that lowly angel is feeding Nara.
Why didn’t I automatically know how to fight demons then? Shouldn’t that have come with your invasion of my body? I finish, curling my lip in a snarl.
If you hadn’t resisted my presence all this time, the calling of your sword and all that entails would’ve been intuitive. I told you that you didn’t want to know me. But now that you know, stop fighting my existence and let me take over completely.
Screw that, Corvus. This is my body. My mind. My life you’re fucking with.
An arrogant grunt rushes through my mind. Not any more it’s not. Only one other was this resistant. Though his mind wasn’t quite as layered as yours.
I can’t tell if that’s respect in his tone or annoyance. Let me guess. Adder?
Silence.
I clench my jaw and command, Tell me about him. When the spirit stays quiet, I fist my hand in my lap. Had he screwed with Adder’s head like he did with mine? You tried to make me kill myself, you twisted bastard.
You were mixing your dreams and reality. You’d already crossed paths with several demons and with so much dark energy swirling in you, all that converged and your mind started to splinter. Thought I’d see if I could help you break it, but somehow you managed not to go insane.
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